Editing Paul Lynde (section)

=== Struggles with alcohol ===
Lynde struggled with alcoholism and had numerous run-ins with the law, including frequent arrests for [[public intoxication]].<ref name=2019cw /><ref name="biog" /> Peter Marshall and Kaye Ballard confirmed that Lynde, when inebriated, became very cruel, sometimes violent, and would sometimes ridicule his friends.<ref>''Florence Henderson Show'', 2008</ref><ref>Peter Marshall, Kaye Ballard; ''E! True Hollywood Story'', 2000</ref>

On July 18, 1965, Lynde was involved in an incident in which a friend, another young actor, accidentally fell to his death from the window of their hotel room in San Francisco's [[Sir Francis Drake Hotel]].<ref name=2014biog /> Lynde and 24-year-old James "Bing" Davidson had been drinking for hours when Davidson, while "horsing around", according to an [[Associated Press]] report, slipped and fell eight stories.<ref>{{cite news |title=Actor Falls 8 Stories To Death |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5748769/james_binger_davidson_pasadena/ |access-date=August 16, 2019 |agency= Associated Press |work=Pasadena Independent |date=July 19, 1965| via= Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yiIhAAAAIBAJ&pg=3437,3717020 |title=Practical Joke Turns Into Death |access-date=August 16, 2019 |agency= Associated Press |work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |date=July 19, 1965}}</ref>

In October 1977, Lynde was involved in an incident at his alma mater, [[Northwestern University]], when he was the grand marshal for [[homecoming]]. At a fast food restaurant near the campus after the homecoming parade, he made racist remarks and gestures to black NU professor James{{nbsp}}P. Pitts.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://findingaids.library.northwestern.edu/agents/people/2521 | title= Pitts, James P., 1944- | website = library.northwestern.edu | publisher = Northwestern University| accessdate =}}</ref> Lynde blamed his behavior on fatigue and inebriation.<ref>{{cite news |last= Moseley |first= Ray |date=October 28, 1977 |title=Lynde Apologizes for Racial Slurs to NU Prof |url= http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1977/10/28/page/1/article/lynde-apologizes-for-racial-slurs-to-nu-prof |work= Chicago Tribune |access-date= August 19, 2017}}</ref>

In January 1978, while in [[Salt Lake City]] to record a segment for the TV variety show [[Donny & Marie (1976 TV series)|''Donny & Marie'']], Lynde was arrested outside a tavern and charged with interfering with a police officer. Lynde's vehicle had been broken into and his valuables stolen while he was inside the tavern. The arresting officer had been investigating a different car burglary and claimed Lynde kept insisting that he "attend to Lynde's complaint", instead.<ref>{{cite news |title=Paul Lynde Arrested |newspaper=[[The Item|The Daily Item]] |date=January 4, 1978 |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1979&dat=19780104&id=nYciAAAAIBAJ&pg=4795,1302171 |access-date=July 29, 2013}}</ref> The complaint was later dropped.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pitts |first1=Jim |title=The night they arrested Paul Lynde |journal= QSaltLake Magazine |date=April 21, 2016 |url=https://qsaltlake.com/news/2016/04/21/night-arrested-paul-lynde/ |access-date=August 16, 2019}}</ref>

Determined to get his life back on track, Lynde became sober and drug-free in early 1980.<ref>{{cite web |first= Mark Sebastian | last= Jordan |title=Paul Lynde's gravestone: An ad-hoc memorial |url= https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/historic_figures/paul-lynde-s-grave-stone-an-ad-hoc-memorial/article_1eb8eb4a-87c0-5656-9505-170bc6534ccd.html |website=richlandsource.com |publisher=Richland Source |access-date=August 15, 2019 |date=September 30, 2018}}</ref>